Hilton Head Hospital uniforms

Victoriakem · Dec 6, 2006

One middle school in Virginia had the teachers all wear the same color polo shirt & black pants or skirt to be able to find them in case of an emergency.

Hospitals should provide at least one nursing uniform, esp. if only one kind is acceptable or give some $$ towards uniforms.

I take my uniform costs out of my tax deductions, along with nursing journals & equipment. Something to remember when doing the taxes next year.:smilecoffeecup:

jjjoy, LPN · Dec 6, 2006

I agree with having some kind of more standard dress code for nurses in most hospital settings (I'm not saying in all cases).

I think it IS useful for other staff to be able to identify each other quickly by dress. There are just a lot of people coming and going on the average hospital floor. If you're looking for a nurse or US or RT, you can quickly scan to see who's there, even if their back is facing you.

Of course, many patients and visitors would still ask the wrong person to take care of this or that, but many would also appreciate being able to quickly tell that their nurse is in the room by what he/she's wearing, especially since patients may not have their glasses and the staff changes every shift. If you don't think most patients will remember something as simple as "the nurses are the ones in the blue tops and white pants," do you expect them to remember that who their nurse is after an introduction at the beginning of shift?

I do think the cute prints add an element of fun and liveliness in an otherwise sterile, impersonal environment. However, I think it's more important that hospital staff be more easily recognizable to each other and to patients. Given the acuity of hospital patients, most aren't in a position to appreciate the lively prints. Certainly many patients and visitors DO appreciate them. And many patients and visitors would also appreciate having a quick way to identify who are the nurses. You've got to be pretty close to someone to read their name badge. I do like the idea of the RN patches that big and easier to see than a name badge.

While maybe it shouldn't matter, appearance does factor in to first impressions. Imagine going in to two fast food places. In one the clerks all have wrinkled polo shirts of various makes and baggy wrinkled pants. In the other, they have matching, ironed polos and well-fitting (not tight) pants. Given that you have no other info to go on yet, which one do you think is probably better run? It's true it could be that the first one IS better run. But chances are that the second one is. Patients don't have much to base their opinion of nurses on - TV shows, books and maybe a quick 3 day hospital stay. To the lay public, I'd imagine that health care workers in scrubs look a bit like the polo shirt wearing clerks in customer service jobs.

Just some thoughts on the issue. : )

MomNRN, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2006

I don't really care what RN's look like as long as they are competent. You can put two people side by side in matching uniforms - all you see is the package.

I could care less what the package looks like. It is what is inside that counts.

I like fun scrubs. Yeah I might be wearing a Santa scrub top (like I did yesterday), but that doesn't mean I can't be professional, intelligent, or serious if the situation demands it.

This topic will live on forever!

blueyesue · Dec 7, 2006

I wonder if there is any hard evidence to support either of our viewpoints ie
A)Cartooney scrubs affect our professional image negatively or
B)They cheer up the patients and brighten their day.
Natch, we can both present anecdotal evidence to support our opinions., but it would be interesting to find out one way or another.

I see your point as completely valid. I understand the need to look professional and recognizable. It would be nice though to work in a place where they welcomed color. I, however, will be a nurse no matter what the dress code. As I am sure you will as well.

Just say NO to drab!!! LOL:balloons: